Given You A Reason To Fight
by FaithfullyFallen417
Summary: [Based off the video game, Red Dead Redemption.] Daryl Dixion is a notorious outlaw in the wild west. Once upon of time, he was a wanted man, but he gave up that life to be a father to his son. But when the government takes his son in exchange for his old gang members, Daryl is forced to go on a mission of redemption, where he meets the farmers daughter, Beth Greene along the way.
1. Exodus in America

Exodus in America

The ferry he was on was only reserved for the rich folks. It was large, at least three stories adorned with bars and poker tables on each floor. But he stood by the ropes, avoiding the men in suits and the women with fancy hats. He knew these types of people well, hell these sort of people is who he stole from, the sort of people he had killed in cold blood. It was the days he took the west without a care in the world, the days when he thought his cause was a good one. Now though, it was his old ways that got him into this sort of trouble.

The two government agents behind him gave him a push when the ferry docked. Agent Walsh and his desk man, Zachery escorted him off the boat and into the bustling town of Blackwater. The sounds of the town filled his ears, mostly calls from the men selling newspapers. _"Extra, extra, Merle Dixon and his gang cause bloodshed in New Austin, read all about it!"_

The headline made the cowboy scoff and the two agents ushering him along chuckle. _"What'chu laughin' at, your brother is causin' fear and havoc and you think it's some sorta joke?" _Zachary sneered, causing the cowboy to roll his eyes. It wasn't too long until they got to the train station and the agents pushed him on board. _"Now remember,_" Agent Walsh spoke up. "_The faster you take care of your brother, Merle the faster you get your son and that shitty ranch back."_

The threat itself sounded like nothing, but his ten year old son, being held by government agents put the fear of god in him. The cowboy just gave a grunt of understanding, but that didn't seem enough for Shane Walsh. "_Daryl, do you understand me? There will be a man in Armadillo waitin' for you arrival. You even think about runnin' and well- I don't think you wanna know what'll happen to sweet little ol' Tommy."_

Daryl Dixon glared at the two men. "Of course, officers." He spat before boarding the train and finding a seat. Once the train's bell rung, it lurched to a start and once again, Daryl felt out of place on the manmade way of travel.

_"Well, I for one am grateful, Mrs. Bush, that they are finally bringing salvation to this savage land." _And elderly woman dressed in a fancy purple get up said. Daryl listened in on their conversation quietly as he watched the country side turn to desert as the train drove on_. "I could not agree with you more, my dear." _The woman, who had to be Mrs. Bush responded. _"My daddy settled this land, and I know he'll be lookin' down on us, pleased on how we helped the natives."_ The woman, Mrs. Bush spoke with a sort of arrogance in her voice, obviously greed was clouding what was really going on in not just the west, but the whole country. _"Yes, the lost their land." _ The woman in purple said. _"But they've gained access to heaven." _

Daryl hadn't been around people in a long time, he almost forgot how dimwitted they could be. It had been him and Tommy for the past ten years, livin' on the land and huntin'. As the two women behind him stopped their conversation, a younger woman started talking to the priest in front of him. _"But father." _The young woman's voice was full of wonder. _"Do you mean unless an innocent receives communion, they're destined to go to hell?" _Daryl let out a chuckle at the way the priest's eyes went wide. _"I hardly think that's fair." _ The young women added. _"What I mean to say, Jenny, that there is a great deal of difference between an innocent and a savage." _ Daryl shook his head as he listened and the young woman, Jenny nodded her head in understanding. _"Oh, I see now."_

Letting out a sigh, Daryl sat back on the wooden bench and closed his eyes, maybe he'd get some sleep. But from all the talking, he already knew he wasn't. He was doing his best to ignore these ignorant people when a passenger took a seat next to him. She had her long blonde hair pulled back into a braid and wore ranchers clothes. She too gave odd looks to the people around them. "They're so ignorant." She spoke softly which made Daryl look over at her. "Savages," She shook her head. "People need a reality check, ya know? Then they'd see that they are the real savages."

_"Well here we are, Mrs. Bush." _The purple lady spoke. "_Armadillo." _

"See you around," blonde girl said as she stood up from her spot and excited the train cart and made her way to a man with a cart full of sacks and hay. Daryl, however took the instructions he had been given and made his way to the saloon, not knowing what to expect next.

XXX

"Mr. Dixon!" A man that had clearly been missing a few baths. "Mr. Dixon." The man yelled again, this elderly fellow looked pretty drunk and the prostitute entertaining him looked pretty well off too. "Over here!" Daryl took a deep breath before walking over to the drunkard, This was who the government hired to help him, were they serious about this or now. "Names Joe, Mr. Dixon. You're friends in Blackwater hired me to take ya to Fort Mercer- though why'd a fella wanna go out there's beyond me." He chuckled a drunken laugh. "I gots two horses outside for us, why dontcha join me and we'll get this done and over with once and for all."

Daryl couldn't agree more, he for one wanted to get this mission done once and for all, but of course, the man Joe did nothing but talk. Asking him why he used one of the native's weapons- claiming the bow and arrow had lost it's touch after guns become more power full. Yes, Daryl had his bow, but he carried a high arsenal of weapons, from his hunting knife to the shot gun, to the revolver, He made sure he was ready for anything. "Marshall Grimes was not happy to hear that an ex-criminal was comin' up in these parts. We havin' our own problems, the gangs 'round here? They causin'nothin' but trouble."

As they got closer to the fort, Joe started slowing down and Daryl glanced over at the man. "Well, here ya are, Fort Mercer. They built it during the Alamo, but now it's just a house for wanted criminals. Good luck to you, friend." He laughed before galloping off.

Well it was now or never. Daryl dismounted his horse and started to the large, crumbling war building. "Merle!" He hollered. "Merle Dixon!"

"What the fuck!" Someone shouted within the walls of the fort, wasn't long till the voice looked over the wall and laughed. "Well shit, it's mah baby brother. The fuck you want?"

"What I want is for you to come with me!" Daryl flat out said. "Some agents, they've got Tommy, Merle and they wanted me to come and get you."

Merle scoffed. "Are you fuckin'serious, I ain't going to no jail for that bastard son of yers, you god damn traitor." He yelled.

Now that made Daryl snap, his brother should have known that he'd at least have a plan to get Merle away from the lawmen after he got his son back. "Merle, yer comin'with! Dead or alive!"

Before Daryl could even think he heard the sound of a gun and a piercing pain rush through his shoulder. He staggered back for a moment before everything went black.

"_We just gonna leave 'em out there?"_

_"Pft,he's wolf food for all I care."_

XXX

Daryl wasn't quite sure how long he was laying there on the ground, but he could feel himself coming in and out of conciseness. He didn't picture it ending like this, being shot down by his stupid ass brother. The archer thought he was done for, until a heavenly like voice filled his ears. "_Jimmy! Pull over the wagon! Pull it over, I say." _ Then he could have sworn an angel was standing over him, blond hair, blue eyes and the most beautiful face he'd ever seen- it looked a lot like the woman on the train. "_Shit, he's been shot, help him on the wagon- and be careful not to hurt 'em even more."_

He could feel himself being lifted from the ground and placed on a higher surface. "_C'mon, let's get him to the ranch, Bob'll patch 'em up in no time." _There was a pause before the angelic face looked back down at him. "_You're gonna be okay, sir."_


	2. New Friends, Old Problems

New Friends, Old Problems

In the middle of dust covered plains laid a bustling farm that surely and slowly turned into its own town. Greene Ranch was the reason why the city of Armadillo could thrive. They supplied goods such as corn and wheat along with livestock and horses, if it wasn't for the bustling community; the town could not and would not thrive and it was the noise from that same community that stirred Daryl Dixon from his sleep. As he opened his eyes, he could see that same blonde girl leaning over him. His vision was blurry, but he could hear the sound of water sloshing and felt a cool rag touch his skin- and then burn like hell. A slew of curse words flew from his mouth, but it didn't seem to bother the girl. "Just hold still, she told him in a gentle voice. "Gotta change your bandages." So Daryl did just that, allowing his eyes to focus in on where he was, on a bed in a small cabin, in- well god only knew where. "So you're alive," The girl said with a hint of amusement in her voice.

Daryl groaned as he leaned up a little, making the girl push him back onto the bed as gently as she could and scolding him as if he was a child. "So it would seem," Daryl grunted as the girl finally helped him sit up in bed and handed him a cool glass of water. _"So how do you feel?" _The girl asked, making polite conversation. "I don't know the polite word for it, Miss."

The girl smiled coly at him as she poured him more water. "I do, stupid, is the word we use around here." She deadpanned as she stood up from the bed and opened up a window to allow some air to come through the must cabin. "What were you doin'?"

Daryl tried to follow her lead and get up himself, only to wince back from the pain that shot through his shoulder as he stood up. He took a deep breath to gather himself as he sat on the edge of the bed. It was just a gun shot, he had worse before. "I was doin' somethin' stupid."

The girl folded her arms across her chest. "Well, you'll be okay." She assured him. "Once you didn't die, the doctor said you'd be fine- he got the bullets out just a few days ago." She looked him over as he gripped the edge of the bed and stood up. "Did you wanna die?" The girl asked him suddenly, Daryl noticed that she seemed to be overly concerned about his run in with death, it almost reminded him of his dearly departed wife. "Is that why you went straight out to Fort Mercer and picked a fight with the worst bandit in the county? Mr- uh…"

"Mr. Dixon." Daryl grunted as he finally got his feet moving. "Daryl Dixon."

The girl smiled a pretty smile and giggled when he sat down on the bed again. "Beth Greene. Miss Beth Greene." Beth handed him his boots that were on the other side of the cabin and sat on the chair by the door as he put them on. "So- what were you doing out there?"

Daryl new women like Beth, strong- determined and never one to give up. "I was giving Merle a chance- for old time sake."

"You know him?" Beth asked, her voice was filled with curiosity.

"Yeah, I know 'im, long time ago."

"Well, what was he like?"

Daryl chuckled. "Dumb, very dumb."

She giggled again, tucking a piece of blonde hair behind her ear. "Like you?" Beth glanced down at her hands before handing him his hat. The man- Daryl Dixon looked like the wests last gun slinger, like the men she would read about in books or hear during camp fires. "What are you gonna do now?"

"I'm gonna take my time and go after Merle the less kind way." He elaborated while stretching his arms around.

"Well that seems downright heroic, just like in those penny dreadfuls my brother used to read. Before you go off on a wild goose chase, it'd be nice if you came along for a ride with me and help patrol the perimeter."

"I'll think about it, Miss Greene." Daryl joked as he looked for his vest.

"Call me Beth."

"Alright then, Beth."

XxX

It was a little around dusk when Daryl walked over to the forman's office to meet with Beth. The setting sun bathed the ranch in a warming light and the sky above was painted with beautiful hues of red, purple and pink. Daryl flicked his cigarette onto the ground and stomped his boot on it as he neared Beth and the two horses she had with her. "Mr. Dixon." She called out. "It's nice to see you among the living." Her smile was practically the most contagious thing that he had ever seen.

"Thanks to you." Daryl said, thanking her once again. He patted one of the horses muzzle before looking over at Beth. "So we gonna get goin' then?"

Beth nodded and handed him the reins to a brown horse. "That there is Nellie, but watch it, she can get spooked easily." Daryl nodded and went over to her as if to help her onto her horse. She side eyed him with a hint of amusement on her face. "I've been doing this since I could walk, Mr. Dixon." She laughed as he mounted her Pinto horse. "I'm more worried about you."

Daryl chuckled and shook his head. "I know my way around a horse, Miss."

"Good, then c'mon now. I'll give you the tour while we patrol."

The whole Ranch was something to be seen. It had its own doctor and general store, along with its own town. People bustled around even now that the sun was setting, children ran around and adults laughed as someone played the fiddle. "Some place you got here, Miss. Greene." He smiled over at a young boy playing with a wooden gun. "My son would love it. This is the type of place that I hope my ranch could turn into."

Beth was smiling over at him. "So you're an outlaw bounty hunter that owns a ranch and has a son? Quite the title you have there- how olds your boy?"

"Just turned eight, he's a good kid. Wants to be a writer when he grows up, his Mama, god rest her soul just wanted him to grow up right. I'm makin' sure he does right." Daryl told her as he patted Nellie's neck.

"I'm sure that one day you're ranch will be just like this one, My daddy worked hard to get it to where it is now, and you seem to be a hard worker." She met his gaze. "And I have a good feeling your son will do right by him."

"Thank you." Daryl expressed. "I'm sure he will too."

XxX

Beth had explained to him that sometimes patrols were full of some gang members stealing cattle or horses and other nights it was coyotes eating the chickens and bunnies feeding on the crops. Luckily, it was one of the easier nights with rabbits going for the crops. She leaned against the porch rails of her farm house as she watched Daryl skin and gut the rabbits. "Ever had rabbit stew?" He asked her and she shook her head. "Well, if you get me some potatoes and carrots, I'd be happy to make you some."

She smiled at him and shook her head. "You are way ahead of your time, Mr. Dixon." She laughed as he draped the pelts over the fence to let them dry. "But sure, you can come on in here if you like. My Pa is making dealings with the farm down the road, Otis and his wife just might combine their farm with our ranch.

"Hm, sounds like a good deal." Daryl grunted as he picked up the skinned rabbits.

"Mmhm, just like this one, c'mon Mr. Dixon, I'm a hungry lady."


End file.
